Between the cracks in her façade
by Yahboobeh
Summary: Tenten hadn't realized that Geisha were still popular enough to go undercover as one. And to her, a seduction mission lasted only as long as it took for her to drug her target. This mission should have been easy enough for Team Gai, but Tenten seemed to attract chaos with every step. There was only one thing that Tenten was certain of - failure was not an option.
1. We Prefer Subtlety

**A/N:** So, this takes place post war, but no one died or any of that sad stuff. Tsunade is still hokage and all that stuff. Team Gai is 19.

* * *

 **1\. We Prefer Subtlety  
**

"I was expecting more options."

Tsunade pursed her lips behind her teacup and bit back a sharp remark. She took a sip. The tart flavor of green tea mixed with sake did little to take the edge off of her temper.

"These are the ones that I am willing to part with." She watched the woman leaf through the papers, clearly dissatisfied. "This type of mission could take weeks, even months," said Tsunade. "I'm sure you understand, Hatsu-san, that limits my options."

The Hokage looked across the table at the woman. Hatsu was about the same age as Tsunade, maybe a few years older. She was a striking woman, petite and wrapped tightly in a kimono so fine that Tsunade did not dare guess its cost. Age had been good to her, and even with all of her wrinkles, Hatsu was beautiful and determined. Negotiating the terms of this mission would not be easy by any means.

Beside Hatsu sat Umekchi, a woman about half her age. As finely dressed and beautiful as Hatsu was, Umekchi was even more so.

Tsunade briefly wondered how much of a dent she could put in her gambling debt with their kimonos. But now was the time for negotiations, not fantasies.

"All of these women are between the ages of sixteen and twenty," said Tsunade, "They are all experienced in information gathering missions ranging from surveillance to seduction. Every team is accustomed to lengthy assignments and undercover missions."

"And how many to a team?"

"Typically four; three chunnin and one jonin, but some may vary."

Hatsu nodded, her eyes scanning a page.

"Do you have any personal recommendations, Tsunade-sama?" asked Umekchi.

Tsunade stretched her arm across the desk and Hatsu handed her back the folder. She opened it and flipped through the sheets before selecting one.

"Yakomana Ino is one of the best when it comes to these types of missions. Her partner Nara Shikamaru is a brilliant strategist. Her specialty is a jutsu that allows her to enter the minds of others. Both of her partners are from prestigious clans and would be able to adapt easily to the environment."

"She is striking," said Umekchi.

Hatsu had taken the sheet back from Tsunade and the two women were skimming the details of Ino's file.

"She is," said Hatsu, "but perhaps too pretty."

"She can command the attention of any man," said Tsunade.

"I do not doubt it, but we would prefer subtly."

"I'm sure she can be subtle mother," said Umekchi, "if not she can learn."

"You make a good point Umekchi. Tell me Tsunade-sama, what of Yakomana-san's personal life?"

Tsunade's brows creased.

"I'm not sure I understand your question."

"Is she romantically involved?"

"Yes, but I don't see why that should matter."

"The woman we pick will be surrounded by men, each vying for her attention," said Hatsu. "It would be easy to become jealous of these men. Jealously causes complications."

Tsunade shook her head dismissively.

"Ino's boyfriend is ex-anbu. He is no concern."

Hatsu placed the sheet down on the table between them. Tsunade took another sip of her tea and locked eyes with the woman who was, undoubtably just as stubborn and headstrong as herself.

"You should know, Tsunade-sama, that love makes people behave unusually and take more risks. This man's past does not matter, because he did not love her then. I need a woman who comes without such a liability."

Tsunade sighed.

"Perhaps you are right," Though she knew that Sai would never let jealously jeopardize a mission, it was clear that Hatsu had no interest in Ino.

"Someone else perhaps?"

"Well, my other recommendation would be Tenten."

Umekchi flipped through the pages while Tsunade described her.

"She is nineteen and single - as far as I know - and her team has done several stealth and information gathering missions. One of her teammates is a Hyuuga. Easily recognizable, I know," Tsunade added, seeing Hatsu's skeptical look. "But the Hyuuga are one of the oldest clans in Konoha. His name comes with value, financially and politically. Her other teammate and sensei are a bit… eccentric… but they take their missions very seriously."

"She's very pretty," said Umekchi, "in a subtle way." She handed Tenten's file to Hatsu. The elder woman scanned it. She didn't look overly impressed, but not entirely unimpressed.

"It says she specializes with weapons."

"Yes. She has earned the nickname of 'weapons mistress' by her peers."

"That is a rather masculine skill," said Hatsu.

"I can see how you would have that perception, growing up with samurai, but I can assure you that is not the case with Tenten. She does not hack and slash, she is graceful and calculating."

"And she is single?"

"As far as I am aware."

"Good." Hatsu placed the sheet back on the desk and stood up. Tsunade and Umekchi rose as well. "Umekchi will meet Tenten and her team in Otafuku in two days. If she likes what she sees then they will travel with Umekchi to Takkumi. Tenten will stay with us and lodgings will be provided for her teammates."

"And if you aren't satisfied?"

"Then your team will return to Konoha and we will find another means of accomplishing our goals."

Tsunade took a slow breath before issuing a curt nod. They had not even begun to discuss the fee. She downed the rest of her "tea" and summoned Shizune for more.

* * *

Tenten had made sure there was no gap in her curtain when she went to bed. She intended to use her day off to sleep and early morning sunlight would not ruin that.

The curtains had done their job. Unfortunately, they did not block out the incessant rapping on the glass.

The sound tugged her out of sleep, groggy and annoyed. She pulled the blankets over her head and rolled over, hoping it would stop.

It was just some stupid bird.

"Tenten!"

She groaned. Resigned, she pulled the blankets back and sat up. Her head ached. She pushed her hair out of her face with the palm of her hand, much like a child would, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

She yawned and stretched then stood up. She dragged herself across the room and pulled back the curtains.

Lee beamed at her. She crossed her arms and glared back.

Lee slid open the door to her balcony and stepped into her apartment.

"I am sorry, Tenten, but Tsunade-sama has requested our presence."

"On our day off?" Tenten yawned and grumbled a string of complaints that Lee could not quite translate into any real language.

"I suspect she has a mission for us."

Tenten stretched her arms over her head, lengthening her spine and exhaled with the release, feeling more awake and relaxed.

"Probably," she quipped, "why else would she summon us? To say hi?"

Lee frowned and Tenten felt bad. She couldn't help it if she was grumpy.

"Can you go in the kitchen and make some tea? I'll get dressed and then we can head over." Tenten stifled another yawn. "Do Neji and Gai know?"

"Yes, Gai-sensei came to me earlier and we split up. I came to get you and he went to get Neji."

Tenten nodded stumbled to her dresser. She began compiling an outfit, one drawer at a time. When it came time to select her underwear Lee mumbled something about the tea and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Tenten chuckled and stripped off her pajamas. Six years with Team Gai and she could still intimidate her teammates with even the slightest hint of her femininity.

She dressed quickly and made her way to the kitchen. Lee was standing at the counter waiting for her electric tea kettle to beep. She could hear the water rumbling inside. She pulled a chair out from the table and dropped into it.

The kettle beeped and Lee poured them each a cup. He sat down across from her and they drank in silence.

The last gulp came too soon and Tenten placed the empty mug on the table with a sigh. She stretched her arms over her head one last time and stood up.

"Shall we?"

Lee nodded and stood up as well.

Together the pair navigated their way out of Tenten's apartment and through the streets of Konoha.

All around them the village was coming to life. Every Sunday the main road turned into an open air market and today was no exception. Merchants were busy with their stalls, putting out produce and flowers, hanging bolts of fabric and hand painted masks - everything placed to catch the eye. Grills sizzled and tantalizing scents wafted through the air.

"Something smells good," Tenten said.

She breathed in the scent again and tried to locate the stall.

"Let's come back here after our meeting. I want to get something to eat and maybe do some shopping."

"Sure, but I cannot stay long," said Lee, "Gai-sensei and I plan to run eight hundred laps around Konoha today."

"Jeez, Lee, don't you ever take a break?"

"But Tenten, this is a break! Usually Gai-sensei and I do one thousand laps and then we go to the training grounds for the rest of the morning, or until you come and join us. Surely you and Neji put as much passion into your training!"

They did not. Their training sessions never lasted more than a couple of hours. And Tenten would be lying if she said they headed straight to Gai and Lee. She and Neji would often sit together under a tree with a thermos of tea.

"I think you and Gai-sensei have enough passion for the whole village."

A response to her statement came from behind them.

"You can never have too much passion!"

Tenten and Lee paused and turned around. Lee jumped in excitement.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Gai stretched out his arms and Lee ran to him, as if they had been separated for weeks, not half an hour.

They embraced loudly and dramatically. Tenten massaged her forehead and sighed.

"They make it seem like finding us was an ordeal," said Tenten. She looked over to Neji, who was now at her side.

"Perhaps they were worried that Lee wouldn't survive waking you up."

Tenten crossed her arms and Neji chuckled.

Neji raised his voice, so that Lee and Gai could hear him.

"Tsunade-sama is waiting."

The pair parted, their motivation refreshed.

"Right," said Gai, "Let's go!"

"Yosh!"

They took off, leaving Neji and Tenten behind, as they always did.

No one minded. When they were younger Tenten would have complained and even tried to catch up. When she couldn't keep up she tried chiding them; telling them it was rude to leave of them to run off like that. Neji once told her not to waste her time, that it was useless to try and change the pair.

But Tenten had deduced that for Neji, everything in life was considered to be an absolute and she had found that just as irritating as being left behind for a foot race. She'd always ignored him and redoubled her efforts to try and change Lee and Gai.

After another month on Team Gai she'd begrudgingly accepted that perhaps Neji had been right. She didn't like it, but she accepted it.

Tenten quickly learned that the upside to staying behind was that Neji was always there. Instead of trying to be part of the perfect team, she focused on cultivating a friendship. It had paid off.

Today they saw no need to run. They set a comfortable pace towards the Hokage's tower and discussed the open air market.

* * *

Tenten squirmed. Everyone was looking at her, she knew. She kept her eyes down and chewed her lip. She had stopped listening to the mission briefing when Tsunade had told Tenten her assignment.

The word had rolled off the Hokage's tongue easily but it sat strangely in Tenten's ears.

Geisha.

She didn't realize that geisha were still prominent enough to go undercover as one. There was political conflict in the Land of Rivers and the daimyo was worried about an uprising and overthrow.

But none of that mattered to Tenten. She was preoccupied by the thought of her body being wrapped in silk and her face hidden under layers of makeup.

She glanced over at Lee who was bubbling with excitement and curiosity. When Tsunade had explained Tenten's roll, he and Gai had fired back with a dozen questions about seeing her in a kimono and makeup (all directed at Tsunade, of course) and tossing in words like 'youth' and 'beauty' and 'flower.'

Neji remained mostly silent, only asking relevant questions when appropriate, but she caught him glancing over her once, as if trying to picture her all dolled up.

It wasn't as if Tenten never dressed up. Just not very often. She would dress up for festivals and special occasions but never quite so lavishly. And never for the purpose of entertaining men.

She thought it was a mission better suited for someone else, but Tsunade had summoned them and Tenten could not say no.

Tenten would stay at an okiya with other geisha. The daimyo had told the okiya that - in addition to the stipend she came with - they could keep any money that she earned as a geisha.

Gai would pose as her dresser. Apparently the kimonos were a bit more complicated to put on than the average yukata that she was used to, and she would need someone else to help tie the elaborate obi.

Neji and Lee would pose as patrons to the teahouses that she visited and try to gather information from a business standpoint. Tenten's job was not to talk business, but to pour sake and try to soften their tongues so they might whisper something to her and think nothing wrong with that.

It sounded both boring and nerve-wracking.

"There is a teahouse in Otafuku City," said Tsunade.

Tenten's interest perked. Otafuku was about 12km outside of Konoha and could be reached quickly.

"I have arranged for you all to undergo training there. While Neji and Lee learn how to behave as patrons, Tenten and Gai will learn about the geisha."

Tenten felt the Hokage's eyes on her and she looked up.

"Tenten, you have the most to learn. In order to be convincing you must learn a bit of music, dance and conversation. The geisha who will train you is named Umekichi. She has agreed to teach you the basics so that when you arrive in Takkumi you can be taken in immediately as a new maiko."

Tenten nodded in understanding and took a calming breath. This mission would be easy. She was sent on countless missions that risked her life. This would be more like a vacation.

"Gai," continued Tsuande, "you will be Tenten's dresser. Umekichi will make sure you are trained in the proper methods. You will also serve as a messenger between your students, you will keep me up to date, and you will oversee their wellbeing, as per usual."

"Of course, Tsunade-sama!" Gai saluted her and grinned.

"Good. You need to be in Otafuku by evening. Shizune has reserved you a hotel room. You will find the information in your mission log." Tsunade waved them off.

Team Gai bowed and turned to leave.

"Oh! And Tenten?"

She turned back to Tsunade, hearing the others pause behind her.

"Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"If Umekichi does not think that you are up for the task then the mission will be canceled."

"W-what?"

"You will impress her or we all will have wasted our time."

Tenten understood. No mission meant no pay. She bowed.

"I will not let you down, Tsunade-sama."

"I know. You are dismissed."

They left Tsunade's office and the door clicked shut. All eyes were on Tenten.

Lee's lips parted and she held up her hand.

"Too early, Lee."

"But Tenten! You will be the most beautiful and youthful geisha!"

Tenten closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she looked to Neji - hoping for salvation. All she saw was a teasing smirk that told her she was on her own.

"Our precious flower is ready to blossom!" Added Gai.

"Stop it guys."

She gasped when Gai pulled her into a hug. She could barely breath. He began to yell about how proud he was of her, his voice quivering. Lee stood across from them, bouncing on the balls of his feet and crying.

Gai squeezed her tighter still and she shot a pleading look to Neji, but he had long ago resolved not to get involved.

* * *

It was a warm spring day. The scent of dew on grass faded as the sun rose.

Tenten and Neji walked next to each other, slowing down as the city gates grew larger. Lee and Gai had decided to race as soon as Otafuku had come into sight.

"Think they made it to the hotel yet?"

Neji shrugged.

"Probably."

"I bet they'll run back here to get us."

Neji smiled.

"And they'll want to race again."

Tenten laughed.

"At least I won't have to stay with them the whole time," she said.

The smile fell from Neji's lips.

"Don't remind me."

"I'm sure you'll get your own accommodations."

"You also assume that will provide the adequate amount of relief."

"It could be worse."

Neji glanced over at her.

"Worse than having no buffer between Lee and Gai-sensei?"

"Tsunade-sama could have made you get all dressed up to flirt with older men."

Neji narrowed his gaze at Tenten and she knew they had both briefly envisioned him in a kimono. She laughed again.

"See? It could be worse."

"And how do you feel about your assignment?" Neji asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean getting all dressed up to flirt with older men."

Tenten blushed and cleared her throat.

"At least you and Lee will be with me for most of that."

"Our presence won't distract you?"

Tenten hadn't considered that possibility. Would she be able to truly let go enough to seduce someone while Lee and Neji watched? She would have to.

Tenten hadn't been on a mission like this in a while, and it usually ended after she'd drugged her target's drink. And in the right conditions that could be done right away. There was no seduction, no long drawn out tease. There was just a bit of cleavage and a coy glance.

She'd never even been kissed before. Suffice to say, Tenten's seduction skills were akin to a rusty kunai... Discarded and forgotten.

She would need some practice.

She looked ahead of her and saw Lee and Gai headed back in their direction. Neji was still waiting for her answer.

"That depends," she said.

"On what?"

"Well, if you get jealous you might try and distract me from my clients."

She laughed at absurdity of it and Neji clicked his tongue with an air of interference.

"I'll try not to be too distracting."

"Neji! Tenten!"

She sighed. Tenten was enjoying her walk with Neji, knowing that it would be the last time that she would be alone with him for a while.

Ahead of them lay Otafuku, and beyond that… Tenten wasn't sure.

* * *

 **A/N:** Check out this new thing I'm working on. I've got 3 chapters lined up so far. I know how I want it to go, but I'm still working out the kinks of how I'll get there. So, I'm hoping you'll come along for the ride while I figure it out! I know chapter one isn't the most exciting, but stick with it! Things start getting fun fast!


	2. First impressions

**A/N:** This took longer to post because I feel kind of meh about it and was trying to do lots of edits. But it is what it is. Enjoy!

* * *

 **2\. First impressions**

Otafuku was much larger than Konoha. Team Gai navigated the crowded streets through the shopping district which eventually gave way to the Geisha district.

It was like stepping into a different place. There buildings were still squished together but there was a large park and a river cut the neighborhood in half. The number of tourists dropped considerably but the streets were still busy with vendors, business men and geisha.

They passed a group of maiko and Lee tugged Tenten's arm.

"Tenten you are going to look just like them!"

She felt her cheeks warm and looked down at the street while she walked.

"Our Tenten will be even more radiant!" Said Gai.

"You're right, Gai-sensei!"

Tenten glanced at Neji.

"Is the mission over yet?"

"No, but we're almost to the teahouse."

Tenten looked up ahead and saw a white noren swaying in the breeze with the name of the teahouse in big, black kanji.

Otafuku was a popular destination for tourists, so in an effort to better accommodate their patrons, the teahouse was also an inn.

Tenten felt, for a moment, like she had stepped into the past. The teahouse was very traditional, with paper screens and sliding doors and polished wood floors.

Gai spoke animatedly to the woman behind the counter. Tenten eyed her, dressed in a nice kimono typing away at a computer and nodding in response to the information Gai gave her.

The computer seemed so out of place in the teahouse and Tenten thought that she looked silly navigating the computer.

Once they were checked in they made their way upstairs to their room.

Tenten could hear the murmurs and laughter down the hall from the tearooms from guests enjoying their dinner. Tenten felt her stomach flutter briefly as a nervous sickness settled in her.

It made her realize how tired she suddenly was and even climbing the stairs that stretched out before her seemed like a daunting task.

The room was just as traditional as the rest of the building. Instead of beds, they had futons folded and stacked neatly in the corner.

Their room adjoined to another and the door between them had been left open.

Tenten wondered briefly if Tsunade had sprung for extra rooms, but then remembered counting four futons and was grateful that she at least had her own bed.

Tenten slipped out of her boots and began to tuck her things away. She eyed the open door curiously, her attention flicking between her bags and the other room.

She froze when she locked eyes with a man. He had knelt down at the table and looked directly into their room.

He was dressed in a suit and looked to be in his mid to late 30s. His skin was still smooth and she could make out a few wisps of sliver streaked through his hair.

"Umekichi," he called, not breaking eye contact. "She is here."

His voice drew the attention of her teammates. Reflexively, they shifted closer to Tenten, analyzing the man for any potential threat.

But they had quickly come to the same conclusion as Tenten, he was not an enemy, not even a fighter. Even if he had been at one time, she suspected that he had not so much as lifted a sword since the war; assuming he had been fit enough to fight in the first place.

A woman, easily 10 years his junior slid into view and bowed before crossing the threshold.

Umekichi was dressed luxuriously in a silk kimono. Her hair was tied ornately on the top of her head and she wore a thin layer of makeup that accentuated her natural features perfectly. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Tenten felt instantly under dressed. She tucked a flyaway hair behind her ear, smoothed down her skirt and was suddenly aware of the thin layer of sweat she wore from traveling.

Tenten had to remind herself to bow after Neji shot her a look.

"That is not a very pretty bow, Tenten," Umekichi said. Tenten's face burned. She hadn't expected to be perfect, but she had hoped to make it at least five minutes before embarrassing herself. She should have apologized, but she was speechless.

"You look so tense," Umekichi tried again. "Relax your shoulders. And your jaw."

Tenten tried again and sighed when she rose and saw Umekichi's nod of approval.

"Much better."

Umekichi gave another small bow.

"Now, you must forgive me, I neglected to introduce myself. I am Umekichi. I have been instructed to oversee your training."

"You are in for a wonderful treat!" Gai had cut Tenten off, just as she had parted her lips to return Umekichi's introduction. "Tenten is my precious student and will surely impress you!"

Tenten noted, with slight amusement that even behind her calm demeanor, Umekichi looked slightly taken aback by Gai's enthusiasm.

"You must be Gai," she said with a smile.

"Yes!" Gai flashed her a grin and a thumbs up before gesturing across the room with a dramatic wave of his arm. "And these two wonderful examples of youth are my other students, Lee and Neji."

The man that Tenten had locked eyes with had risen from the table and stood at Umekichi's side.

"I am Masaru," he said with a gruff voice and quick bow.

"Masaru is the daimyo's secretary," said Umekichi, "and my danna."

"Danna?" asked Lee.

"Yes," said Masaru, "Umekichi is a dear friend of mine. Being a geisha is an expensive profession, my patronage goes to help keep her so beautifully dressed and fund any classes she may take."

"That's so kind of you Masaru!" Lee bounced up on the balls of his feet. Tenten waited for him to demand to be Tenten's danna, but Umekichi interjected.

"Masaru is the reason we're all here. He requested our assistance."

"When rumors of treason started, my lord asked me to investigate," Masaru said. "I have established a relationship with the suspects - they believe I cannot stand serving Gorou-sama."

"And they need funding for their campaign," said Neji, "which is where Lee and I will come in."

"Yes, as potential investors," said Masaru. "And Tenten will help Umekichi loosen their tongues."

"But why do you need shinobi?" asked Tenten.

"They need us for a few reasons," said Neji. "By bringing in someone from the outside, it makes Masaru look more credible. And if things go south, we are more than capable of defending everyone. Not to mention, should we be discovered, knowing that Konoha is backing the daimyo might be enough to squash the rebellion on its own."

"We would like to resolve this issue as subtly as possible," said Masaru. "As you can imagine, if other nations got word of such political unrest it could pose a bigger threat to our security than a few nobles with ambitious dreams. They do not trust me fully, and will not until I secure financing for their campaign, and maybe not even then."

"Yes," said Umekichi, "but before we delve further into politics we should examine our team."

Umekichi strode up to Tenten and collected her hands. Tenten watched Umekichi trace her finger along a faint scar on the back of her left hand.

"Besides," she lowered her voice for Tenten's ears only, "politics is such a dull topic."

Tenten smiled despite her nerves, and continued to oversee the insepection of her hands while Umekichi turned them this way and that and ran her fingers lightly over Tenten's own, searching for any noticeable imperfections.

"Your hands are not as calloused as I had anticipated, that is good."

Tenten released a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The woman turned her attention to Tenten's face. She held her chin and angled her head into the light.

"Your skin is nice. No visible scars. Even if there were," she added, undoubtably noticing a faint line on her cheek, "the makeup would cover them."

Tenten had never had someone comment on her appearance so intensely and she realized she was terrified of being judged head to toe. Never before had she been so concerned with how someone thought she looked. But as Umekichi traced her fingers over each fresh mark and faded scar, Tenten worried that she wasn't pretty enough.

Umekichi next ran her hands over Tenten's waist, feeling how it narrowed. Tenten was at least confident that her chenogsam accented her curves.

"Small waist, wide hips, good breasts."

Tenten felt her face burn as she became hyperaware of her teammates eyes on her.

"Why does any of that matter?" She mumbled her question while Umekichi finished taking stock of her.

The geisha looked up and met Tenten's gaze.

"The men you entertain want to see a pretty girl, if only for a moment. Even if most of your curves will be hidden under your kimono, your figure will still show. And you've got a good neck."

Tenten's fingers flew to the appendage in question and ran lightly over the skin.

"Now," said Umekichi, "you must be weary from your trip. Please, take a few moments to bathe and relax. I will help your sensei prepare a kimono."

Tenten nodded.

"That sounds great."

"Good. There are fresh clothes for you in the bathroom."

Tenten nodded and excused herself from the room.

* * *

The bathtub was enticing, and Umekichi had told her to unwind, but Tenten opted for the efficiency of a shower.

Once she was clean and dry, Tenten slipped into the robe that had been folded neatly on the counter and tied it snugly around her waist.

The first thing that Tenten noticed when she slipped out of the bathroom was that Lee and Neji were gone.

The door dividing both rooms had been closed and Tenten could hear Neji and Lee quietly discussing the mission with Masaru.

"Ah, Tenten," said Umekichi, "you look refreshed! Please, come here."

Tenten relaxed a little and obeyed. Umekichi stepped behind her, smoothed her hair down and twisted it into a bun.

When she was done Tenten turned around to face them.

"I have just finished explaining your kimono to your sensei. But before we start you must fix your collar."

Tenten had not paid enough attention to how her new teacher had dressed. She had been so overwhelmed that she had not noticed that how neckline sank low on Umekichi's back, whereas Tenten had wrapped her under robe tight against herself.

"Sure, just let me-"

Tenten panicked when Umekichi pulled at the sash holding it closed. Tenten clung to the collar, holding the robe shut.

Umekichi slipped behind Tenten. She felt a gentle pressure on her arm and relinquished her hold on the collar. Gai turned away, but Umekichi adjusted the neckline carefully and the robe did not fall open.

"You will have to learn to trust us," Umekichi said. "Your sensei especially, if he's to be dressing you. You cannot waste time burrowing into your undergarments."

Tenten wasn't sure what thought was more appalling, the very real possibility that Gai might stumble onto her naked or that Umekichi expected her to get over it.

Once the sash was re-tied Umekichi instructed Tenten to stretch out her arms as Gai began to drape more layers over her. Once it was time for the kimono Umekichi instructed Gai on the proper length.

"Leave it longer," she said and pointed to her own kimono, which pooled on the ground around her feet.

Tenten watched as Gai folded and adjusted the fabric until Umekichi was satisfied.

And then it was time for the complicated part - tying her in.

Tenten gasped and struggled under the force with which Gai tugged her around the room, synching the koshihimo far tighter than needed.

"Gai-sensei!" Tenten gasped. "Too tight."

Gai let go of the tie and frowned.

"I am sorry Tenten, I am new to this as well and I want to make sure your youthful kimono does not fall off."

Tenten tried hard not to roll her eyes.

"Gai-sensei, how tight do you tie your yukatas?" She rubbed her stomach through the kimono, trying to massage away the pain.

"A tight koshihimo is very youthful and a wonderful way to train your endurance."

Tenten spun around and held her finger up in his face.

"Festivals only last a few hours, I will have to wear this every day. Don't tie it so tight."

"Back to work," interrupted Umekichi, "Gai, let me show you how to tie the obi."

Tenten was jostled around a bit more. Padding was stuffed against her while Gai and Umekichi discussed the finer points of obi tying. Once the obi was tied snuggly Gai patted the large knot, proud of his work. Tenten thought that the knot was disappointingly simple for how roughly he'd handled her.

In fact, Tenten knew how to tie that particular knot herself, but suspected Umekichi wanted Gai to tie every chance he could so that when it came time for the long obi of an apprentice, he would have an easier time.

Tied in tightly, Tenten felt almost claustrophobic, but hoped the feeling would fade in time.

Umekichi ushered her over to a mirror and Tenten couldn't hold back the small smile that spread across her lips. The kimono was white and painted with a beautiful mountain landscape. Her obi was bright red and her sleeves dragged to the ground. The collars of both the kimono and under robe dipped low and away from her neck, drawing attention to the bare skin.

She had never worn anything so pretty or expensive before.

"Tenten! You are the very definition of beauty!"

"Gai-sensei…" Yes, it was an exaggeration, she was certain. But she would be lying if she said that she didn't feel a little vain.

She caught Umekichi's smile in the reflection behind her and was relieved to see that the woman was so far pleased.

Tenten shuffled away from the mirror and tried to focus on smoothing out her movements. Gai's praises continued to pour out as she moved.

It had been a while since she had last dressed up and Tenten practiced her walk, having to shorten her steps significantly. Umekichi watched her stride and offered her advice on her technique.

Once satisfied, Umekichi instructed Tenten on the elegant ways to kneel and bow without wobbling.

"Your bows will become more steady as you get comfortable," said Umekichi. "Be sure to practice."

"Of course."

"Alright, let's go have a bit of tea."

Tenten nodded and Gai crossed the room to open the partition between the two rooms. They entered and Tenten tried to avert her gaze from Lee and Neji.

The table in Umekichi's room had a teapot and several mugs laid out. Masaru sat across from Neji, drinking lazily from a glass of beer.

The sound of Umekichi's voice pulled her from her observations.

"Tenten," you must always have a smile on. You must radiate confidence. You want your patrons to think you are the most important person in the room."

Tenten nodded and looked at her "patrons." Lee and Neji were seated at the table, both sets of eyes on their teammate. She wondered if Neji's observation earlier had been right. She pressed a smile on her lips, unsure how to act around the pair.

There was a space at the table between them that Tenten suspected was intended for her.

She took her time making her way around the table, in case she was wrong, but relaxed when Umekichi sat down next to the Masaru. Gai sat down beside her and Tenten settled in between her teammates.

"First we will practice pouring tea," said Umekichi. She picked up the pot and looked over to the secretary, but turned her attention to Gai when he declined her offer. Umekichi tipped the pot over Gai's cup, letting the tea cascade down. Steam rose in delicate swirls from the cup and Tenten felt her mouth fall open. She hadn't realized pouring a cup of tea could be perfected as a form of art, but Umekichi was before her, doing just that.

When Gai's cup was full, she sent him a coy glance before moving to pour her own cup.

"My dear Umekichi-san," Gai had interrupted her, placing his hand on top of hers to prevent her from pouring. "Please, allow me to pour your tea."

Umekichi glanced over to Tenten, who sat up straighter. Umekichi was already teaching her something and she had almost missed it.

Umekichi smiled at Gai and looked down at their hands.

"You are far to generous, Gai-san."

"Nonsense! I insist!"

Umekichi relinquished the teapot and complemented Gai as he poured her tea with a grin.

It was then that Tenten realized what had truly happened. Gai had offered to pour the tea because Umekichi had enticed him. She had inadvertently made him want to do something for her.

She wondered briefly if their interaction had bothered Masaru, but when Tenten glanced at him, he appeared un phased by Umekichi's flirting. It was just another part of her job.

Tenten watched Umekichi indicate to Gai to replace the teapot so Tenten could try. She thought of the men on either side of her - and her ability to charm them - and realized that she would be pouring her own drink.

* * *

In the end, Lee had loudly and passionately demanded to pour Tenten a cup of tea. It was nothing she'd done that had prompted his desires. Lee's motivation was, as it had always been, to imitate Gai.

"How are you enjoying your tea, Tenten?"

"It's lovely, thank you Lee."

He grinned.

"But the tea is not nearly as lovely as you, Tenten!"

She faltered and a look of confusion replaced the practiced smile on her face. She was used to Lee and Gai calling comparing her to "the beautiful and youthful lotus blossom," but she'd never seen it as a true complement, merely one of their many enthusiastic exaggerations.

But now that she had suffered the ordeal of dressing up, it felt foreign and strange to hear.

Lee seemed to pick up on her hesitation because he looked over her to Neji.

"Doesn't Tenten look lovely, Neji?"

She glanced to her left as he set his cup back down.

"Yes, very."

She felt a blush creep up her skin and scolded herself for being so easily embarrassed.

"Thanks guys."

Across the table Umekichi broke the tension.

"Tenten, you should be more confident. Your teammates would not lie to you."

"Umekichi is right!" said Lee. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You are our beautiful lotus! We could never mislead you!"

She gently disentangled herself from him and pressed the smile back on her lips.

"Thank you Lee."

She turned her attention to her own cup of tea, tracing her fingers over the lip of the cup.

She picked it up, intent on taking a healthy drink, when she heard the low murmur of her name just loud enough for her to hear.

Tenten froze, teacup pressed against her lips. She felt Neji's breath on her ear and trembled.

"Umekichi told us to try and unnerve you," he whispered.

Tenten tipped back the cup and drank, refocusing herself. She lowered the cup from her lips and looked down at the murky liquid.

"Is that so?"

Neji leaned back from her ear, as if the exchange had never happened, and reached for his own tea. He took a drink and began asking Masaru more about the mission.

Tenten tried to listen, but was on edge. It hadn't been his proximity that had caught her off guard, but the unexpectedness of it. The tickle of his breath on her ear and the low rumble of his whisper - the tone curious and teasing. She could practically hear the smile he wore as he spoke. Tenten suspected that it was payback for all the times that she had enjoyed teasing him.

Again, she tried to focus when Gai joined the conversation. But then she felt Neji's hand on her knee. It was subtle, his hand masked by the table and his attention focused on the conversation. But his hand would not just rest on her knee; not if his task was to test her composure. His fingers traced around her kneecap before trailing partway up her thigh and back down again.

She knew it was just a test, but it was very intimate and it felt nice. His fingers were stirring feelings and emotions that she had carefully tucked away. She tried not to think about it... About him... She wouldn't think about his hand, not about all of the places his fingers could travel. She wouldn't imagine that they were alone, but then they were. She willed the fantasy away, but Neji hooked his finger under her chin and angled her face towards him. And then the kiss... A languid and tender kiss under toned by a slow burning passion.

Tenten felt her face warm and cursed herself for imagining something so intimate surrounded by so many people. She turned her attention back to her tea. Her fingers wrapped around the cup and she picked it up off the table. Neji's hand retreated - as if he knew that she had just won a struggle and was granting her relief.

Her shoulders dropped and she began reconstructing her wall, tucking away her feelings for him.

"Tenten?"

On her other side was Lee, no doubt trying to conjure up a way to test her as well. His voice was low, not quite a whisper, and still detectable by the others.

She turned to him with a slight nod before taking a generous drink from her cup. The tea was soothing, warm, and welcome on her tongue. She could almost forget the inner turmoil and humiliation she'd been through until Lee spoke.

"Are you a virgin?"

She gasped and aspirated her tea. Her coughing drew everyone's attention. Someone pulled the cup from her hand while she took in deep, ragged breaths, coughing up tea with each exhale.

It took a minute for her to regain enough control to excuse herself. She stood up quickly, bashed her knee against the table and knocked over Neji's cup of tea.

Neji and Lee grabbed their napkins and began to sop up the mess. Tenten was mortified.

"Shit!" She covered her mouth, as if it would hide her mistake. "I'm sorry! Agh! Excuse me."

She gathered fistfuls of silk and fled back to the adjoining room.

Tenten slid the door shut and sank down to the ground.

She had definitely blown it. Umekichi would say "thanks, but no thanks" and they would have to return to Konoha and Tenten would have to tell Tsunade how she hadn't even lasted two hours.

On the other side of the door she heard Neji's voice.

"Did you ask her if she's a virgin?"

Tenten winced. Not only was Lee on the receiving end of Neji's temper, it was likely that everyone had formed an opinion on whether or not she was sexually active, if only for a moment.

"Umekchi told us to try and catch her off guard! That men would say suggestive things to her and that we should prepare her for the worst!"

Tenten had to admit, Lee had been successful in unnerving her. Too successful, perhaps. She looked down at her knees. The kimono was stained with tea.

"You're supposed to be subtle, you idiot!"

She buried her face into her knees, willing herself not to cry.

"I couldn't think of anything else to say!"

"So instead of waiting for a better idea you thought you could ask her such an intimate question in front of everyone?"

Tenten eyed one of the futons and wondered if she could curl herself into one while it was still folded. Even knowing it would only take moments for Neji to find her, she entertained the thought, absurd as it was.

"Enough you two," said Gai.

"But Gai-sensei-"

"Neji's right, Lee, if you are going to pose as a patron you need to be more charismatic then that. But you were instructed to prepare her for the worst... And I'm can't imagine things getting much worse than that."

"Your teacher is right. But I am curious, how do you both think she reacted to your..." Tenten heard Umekichi pause, as if searching for a word to fit the description of what he'd said, "advances..."

"She usually yells at me. Please don't discount her for swearing and spilling tea. I took my task too seriously."

"She did handle that much better than I would have anticipated," said Neji.

Tenten should have felt better that they were sticking up for her, but she didn't. It felt more like they were trying to save face, to prevent Umekichi from ending the mission before it even began.

"She seemed to handle you fairly well," Masaru said. "A suggestive whisper in her ear, a hand on her knee, these are things she will likely have to deal with. Once she has composed herself we will continue."

Tenten lost her composure at that point. When she realized that there was no hiding, that she was expected to step back out into the main room and act as if nothing had happened - that was when two fat tears slid down her face.

"Damnit," she whispered. "Don't be such a mess, Tenten."

She and everyone she'd ever loved had had brushes with death and she was crying over a spilt cup of tea.

The door slid open and Tenten quickly wiped the tears from her face.

Umekichi sat down beside her.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just…" Tenten wasn't sure if confiding in Umekichi would help or hinder her chances of keeping the mission. "I mean, I'm just nervous, I guess."

"I was nervous at first too."

Tenten looked up and studied the woman next to her. She radiated beauty and confidence. Tenten would have never believed Umekichi to be the nervous type.

"Really?"

"The first time I had to pour tea, the pot was empty."

Umekichi giggled and Tenten smiled.

"I double checked to make sure yours was full," she added.

Tenten chuckled.

"Thanks."

Tenten felt a hand on her own and met the other woman's gaze.

"Don't be nervous," she gave Tenten's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I don't intend to send you or your team back to Konoha."

* * *

They finished their tea without any additional spills or outbursts. Lee gave subtlety a try, and was surprisingly good at it.

Tenten and Gai were given privacy to strip her out of the kimono and once she was down to the last layer, Tenten slipped into the bathroom and traded the traditional robe for the comfort of her own pajamas.

Without the layers of silk around her, Tenten was more aware of the chill in the air. She was never a fan of how deceiving early spring was; warm days still slid into freezing nights.

She burrowed into her futon and was asleep before the lights were out.

* * *

 **A/N:** Now that all of the groundwork should be kind of out of the way it will get more exciting? lol. Idk. I rewrote parts of this several times. As always, I thank you for taking the time to read and review. Until next time. :)


	3. Learning curve

**Chapter** **3**

Tenten woke abruptly. Though she did not know the time, she knew she'd slept late.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"What time is it?" Neji shifted slowly into focus at the table across the room.

"9:15."

Tenten yawned and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Where are Lee and Gai-sensei?"

"Training."

"Even after that race they had yesterday?"

Tenten frowned.

"Lee knows better than to push Gai-sensei too far. We still have to travel to Takkumi at some point."

Neji shrugged. He was flipping through a stack of notes Masaru had given him the night before.

"They know their limits."

Tenten snorted.

"Are you serious? How many times has Gai-sensei been back in the hospital since he started walking again?"

Neji was clearly in no mood to deal with any potential carelessness on the green pair's part.

"You can remind him of that when they get back."

Tenten stretched and crawled out of bed. She rolled her futon and pushed it out of the way before joining Neji at the table.

She didn't bother dressing, assuming that whatever she put on would likely be substituted for a kimono.

She reached for a clean mug on the table. Neji turned the teapot towards her.

"Would you like me to pour or would you like the practice?"

"Very funny Neji," Tenten said. She picked up the pot and poured herself a drink and topped off Neji's.

Tenten could hear the muffled sounds of movement and low voices in the next room over.

"Have you heard from Umekichi or Masaru yet?"

"Not exactly."

Tenten furrowed her brows.

"What does that mean?"

Neji gestured to the door. Tenten listened more intently.

There was a rhythm to the movement and the conversation mumbles were peppered with breathy gasps.

Tenten felt her face warm.

"Um, you mean..."

"Sounds like it."

Tenten dropped her voice to a whisper.

"Is she allowed to do that?"

"Have sex?"

Tenten almost choked on her tea. As long as the conversation didn't effect Neji directly, he was quite good at being frank sometimes.

She recovered and wiped a stray drop of tea from the corner of her mouth.

A myriad of thoughts plagued her suddenly and unleashed a new wave of anxiety. Tenten knew she would be entertaining... but would she be entertaining?

"Well, I mean, I guess I didn't realize..." She struggled to find the balance between expressing her new concern and appearing to remain confident in her mission.

But when Tenten spoke again, it was only to the former.

"I'm not going to have to sleep with anyone, am I?"

Tenten thought she saw Neji's grip on his mug tighten, but she couldn't be sure. He turned away from his notes and met her gaze.

"No," he said very firmly.

Tenten muffled a sigh of relief into her teacup.

"Masaru is her dana, its a different type of relationship than a typical patron," Neji said.

"He told me a little about it last night. Masaru sponsors Umekichi - helps her pay for more classes, kimono, makeup and anything else she might need."

"Is that in exchange for sex?" Tenten could have smacked herself for wearing her thoughts on her sleeves.

Neji shrugged.

"I don't know the details of their arraignment, but I don't think that's how it typically works."

"Right, of couse not."

Tenten turned her eyes back on the murky liquid in her cup.

She could hear Neji flip though the stack of papers beside her, a soft whimper next door, and the growl of her own stomach.

"Have you eaten?"

"No. Have you?"

"I haven't. I was going to ask if you wanted to get something, but..." he looked her up and down, from her pajamas to the messy clumps of hair on her head. "I was waiting for you to get dressed."

Tenten pushed her bangs out of her face and debated suggesting room service. But it would be good to stretch her legs, especially since she anticipated there would be little to no training for the foreseeable future.

"Okay, I'll get dressed."

* * *

The atmosphere of their room had shifted dramatically when they returned from breakfast.

The soft, cool sleepy morning had shifted to an exuberant afternoon.

Sunshine poured into the room and everyone was gathered around the table, chatting animatedly.

Gai was tucked into a chair with his leg propped up on a footstool with a large ice pack on his shin. Tenten noticed, with a frown, he had already poured himself a glass of whiskey to help dull the pain.

"Gai-sensei, your leg!"

"Ah, Tenten! Neji!" He grinned up at them. "So good of you to be back. He wiggled his toes at Tenten. "No worries, see, just a little sore."

Tenten sighed.

"You need to be more careful." She pointed her gaze at Lee who bowed his head, aware that her remark was meant more for him than for Gai.

The matter was put to bed fairly quickly and Tenten was whisked into the other room by Umekichi to change.

Tenten had just finished knotting her underrobe when Gai joined them, leaning on the cane he had been desperately trying to discard.

Tenten often thought he could, he had already proven Tsunade wrong when, after the war, she had suggested he'd probably never walk again.

Gai liked to prove everyone wrong and defy the odds. That's why Tenten stayed silent when he limped over to her and took over for Umekichi.

If he could overcome a shattered leg and maintain exuberant persona after the great war, Tenten should be able to have more confidence in her task.

* * *

Once Tenten was dressed, the rest of the day was dedicated to figuring out what she was good at.

She had never played an instrument, but a quick introduction to Umekichi's shamisen proved to be promising if she practiced every day.

She sang in a light and pleasant voice, but it squeaked and popped in and out of tune. Her cheeks burned as Umekichi tried to instruct her. She knew next door the guys could hear and that made her voice squeak more.

Dance was a natural extension of her fighting style and she found that she enjoyed it very much.

And fans, like steel, proved to be extensions of her own arms. Umekichi was thrilled with the way Tenten spun and flipped the fans.

"It's as if you've been doing this for years!"

"Thanks, I guess it's not much different than a kunai," Tenten said as she twirled the fan around a finger.

"Combined with dance, this could be the skill to catch the general's eye," Umekichi said.

"Mmhm," agreed Tenten, but she was determining the practicality of replacing the spines in the fan with senbon.

The week continued much the same. Each day Tenten was dressed more elaborately and her hair was combed up in a tight knot.

"You are going to have to use a special pillow," Umekichi warned. Tenten shrugged it off at first, but when the geisha produced the stand with a small pillow on it she almost cried.

Umekichi had compromised on the pillow, Tenten wouldn't have to use it until they returned to the okiya.

* * *

Each day Tenten was also given alcohol to drink. With each meal she was made to drink sake, beer or wine (and the occasional hard alcohol) both to get used to the tart flavors and to get a gauge on if one or two drinks would put the mission in jeopardy.

But Tenten was not Lee, and one or two drinks did little to her.

However, after lunch when Umekichi provided her with the high, wedged geta she was expected to wear, Tenten's legs wobbled.

"And where do I have to wear those?" Tenten eyed the shoes with suspicion as they mocked her from their space by the door.

"Everywhere," said Umekichi.

"You should try them now," said Lee. "It will be wonderful to start your training so soon!"

"He's right, Tenten," said Gai, "I'm sure someone as agile as you can master such a youthful shoe with ease!"

She glanced over to Neji, who's shrug said "might as well get it over with now."

"Fine."

Tenten stood up and crossed the room. Her legs felt tingly with alcohol. She leaned against the wall for support as she stepped into the shoes.

She felt wobbly and unaccustomed to her new height, but focused her chakra into her feet for stability.

It was different than her normal shoes and she found herself still uneasy as she tried to gage the right amount of chakra needed to remain stable.

She turned back to the table and smiled.

"Anyone care for a walk?"

She slid open the door when Lee and Neji rose to join her.

Umekichi followed the group into the hall and waited for Tenten to take three calculated steps.

She navigated the hall with ease, trying to ignore Lee's cheers and praise, but froze when she reached the stairs.

She studied the steps, feeling dizzy. Her ankles wobbled and she imagined her foot sliding forward on the wedge and tumbling down the stairs. Neji held his arm out and she accepted it gratefully.

They made their way slowly down the stairs, Tenten focused on the right amount of chakra that would get her down the stairs.

"Having fun?" Neji teased.

"Have you seen what they expect me to use for a pillow?"

"I have not."

"My neck already hurts just from thinking about it."

Neji chuckled.

"So should I write Tsunade-sama and tell her you'd rather be camping in the woods trailing a missing nin?"

"At least the frost at night would kill all the mosquitoes."

"But you hate being cold."

"I'd pack extra blankets."

"You'd still complain all day."

Tenten grinned when she reached the bottom of the stairs. She let go of Neji and turned towards him, a sharp retort ready on her tongue.

Instead she tripped.

Neji caught her under the arms and stood her back up, as Lee rushed to her side.

Tenten looked up into his smirk and huffed.

"Jerk."

"You're welcome."

They took a leisurely walk through town and Tenten found the right balance of chakra to walk comfortably, even across the cobblestone paths.

Tenten stopped to peer into the window of a weapon's shop, but Umekichi tugged at her sleeve and guided her away.

"You mustn't be distracted by shops such as these. It will only arise suspicions," she said.

Tenten frowned, glancing one last time at a dagger that had caught her eye.

"You're right, forgive me."

* * *

Tenten sat hunched over a bowl of rice, happy to be done with another day of training. Lively conversation flittered in from the adjoining room. Tenten had excused herself, citing a headache. It was nice to have a moment alone. She was tired and ached in different ways than she usually did.

She had expected the physical aspect of her mission to be fairly simple, but her head ached from the tight bun in her hair and the muscles in her face were tired from trying to keep her expression pleasant but fairly inexpressive.

Her back ached from always sitting up straight and the geta utilized muscles in her legs she didn't know she had.

But most of all she was tired and overwhelmed with the amount if information she was expected to retain.

Mannerisms, dance routines, mannerisms and politics were all forced upon her.

She felt guilty, not knowing the extent of the mission details. She wasn't even sure who exactly they were attempting to stop, and so far, she had been too busy or too tired to ask Neji.

Tenten poked at her rice with her chopsticks and rested her chin on her hand.

She closed her eyes for a second, and heard her name spoken in a warm and fuzzy tone somewhere in the distance.

When she heard it again, it was closer and almost urgent. She opened her eyes and sat up, suddenly aware that she had nodded off.

Neji's hand was on her shoulder. She looked over to him and smiled.

"You should go to bed."

"I know."

She sat up a little straighter and stretched her spine.

"Is everyone still next door?"

"Yes."

Tenten mulled over the simple process of undressing and pulling out her futon, which now seemed grueling.

Neji seemed to read her mind.

"Would you like me to get Gai-sensei?"

"No, don't bother him. I really just need help with my obi." She smiled at Neji. "Maybe you can help me," she said with a wink.

Neji looked away, clearly flustered by her joke and she giggled.

He stood up and held out a hand for her, which she accepted and was pulled up to her feet.

Tenten turned her back to Neji and waited while he examined and poked at the knot on her back. She felt him tug at it and the room filled with the sound of silk scraping against itself until the knot came loose and bits of padding fell to the ground.

And although she didn't want to, she helped Neji fold it neatly and he placed it on the table.

She undid the sash holding her kimono shut. Even though several layers still separated her from exposing herself, Neji quickly looked away and busied himself with pulling out her futon.

Tenten slipped out of the next few layers and sighed. She dug into her bag and pulled out her pajamas before slipping into the bathroom to finish changing in private.

When she emerged, her bed was ready, with Neji kneeling beside it. She crouched down and pulled back the blankets.

She thought she saw his eyes flick down to her chest, which once was covered, now boasted ample cleavage.

"Do you need anything else?"

She was certain, alone in their room, that she did, and trembled at the thought of his lips on her neck.

She swallowed and shook her head, both to answer him and to shake away the though of how warm his embrace might be.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hope you enjoyed this! Trying to get it up before I fall asleep. I'll come up with a title later. Haha. Please let me know what you think!


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